Tour of Flanders: A failure to hydrate properly would cost Fabian Cancellara dearly.

(Bettini)

Tour of Flanders: Nick Nuyens outsprints Chavanel and Cancellara in Meerbeke, while Tom Boonen launches a desperate bid from the chase group.

(Bettini)

Liège-Bastogne-Liège: Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) was the king of spring.

(Bettini)

Philippe Gilbert’s winning sprint on the Côte de Ans on Sunday brought the curtain down on what has been a spectacular Classics season. From Milan-San Remo through to Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the past five weeks have seen some memorable performances, from established stars and break-out talents alike.

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Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) held his nerve to take the sprint from a very elite eight-man group at the end of a pulsating edition of Milan-San Remo and that thrilling race would set the tone for the remainder of the Spring.

While Fabian Cancellara’s crushing display the following weekend at the E3 Prijs appeared to be an ominous portent of what was to come, the Swiss rider was not to have it all his own way on the cobbles, as Nick Nuyens and Johan Van Summeren took surprising but thoroughly deserved wins at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.